Gassing Gophers, no it is not a euphemism
by looks the same
Summary: Angela has a ridiculous request. Frankie bails on Jane. Jane has an attitude. Maura is a good little volunteer.  A few people requested I post this story from a few months ago, here.  ONESHOT. Jane/Maura.


**A/N: I've had some requests that I post some of my other R&I fics here on this site. I'll be doing that over the next few days.**

XXXX

"So, what time you thinking tomorrow?" Frankie surveys his sister who is lounging like she owns the posture. Her long body is splayed over her chair, legs propped up, ankles crossed on her desk.

"You should have seen his face Frankie. Ethan son-of-a-bitch Foster, was thrown so far off his guard that he was practically shitting cement by the time we cuffed him." Jane's face is lazy happy, contentedness leaking off her features.

Frankie smiles back having heard the story while out on patrol.

"You did good sis. So tomorrow?"

Jane bathes in her job well done a moment longer before finally looking at her brother, his question only then seeping in.

"Uh." She tugs at those long locks, her fingers getting caught up in tangles. "Don't remind me. Why can't she just hire someone?"

"She _is_ hiring someone. Us." Frankie is as annoyed about this as the detective but of course he shows a little more class and sympathy towards the fiercely protective yet insane hyperbole that is their mother.

Jane's face lights up at that. She realizes she must have missed the crucial point of the task! "Wait. She's paying us?"

Frankie lowers his gaze on her, inwardly rolling his eyes. "What do you think?"

She sighs and goes back to her previous conception of their mother. "It's weird right?"

Jane watches Frankie as he nods in slow agreement and then verbally confirms. "Really weird. But Ma has been on this for over a month and I can't keep avoiding her in the cafe. So, time?"

"Tell me about it." Jane pulls out her expert mumbling while she mulls over the expectations for tomorrow knowing it will be a much longer task than either she or Frankie suspects. Plus the drive is a bitch. "Four?"

Frankie hangs his head right along with her, neither having seen four AM in a long time, Boston's safety aside.

"I'll grab what we need tonight from Pop. How about I'll just pick you up in the truck?"

Jane's eyes take in the current time while already calculating how little sleep she is bound to get. She agrees, says goodnight to Frankie, puts her desk in order and leaves the case file on Frost's desk so he can finish up the paperwork without her tomorrow.

And she can't understand how her mother talks her into shit like this. Not only is it insane but it's inconsistent. One moment she is hassling Jane over dresses and pretty smiles that are suppose to trick some poor man into not leaving her alone for the rest of her life. The next she's suppose to buck up with the rest of them, strap on a tool belt, and find her balls.

It's confusing.

But Jane's already confused about her balls so really she shouldn't blame all that on her mother. Besides when it really comes down to it- Jane sorta loves her tool belt.

XXXX

"We said four Frankie!" Jane shouts it as loudly as her sleep induced voice will permit. Her mouth may or may not be obstructed by a pillow but Frankie's gonna be a detective one day and he needs practice learning to decipher emotion.

"I know. I'm sorry sis. I just got called out though. Drug bust, they need uniforms."

And since Jane is a good person _and_ a good cop, she sits up. "Anyone dead? I haven't gotten a call." She pulls her phone away for a quick second to make sure she's right about that. She is.

Jane's as sensitive as they come when it's her and a grieving widow, lover, parent, child, or friend of a vic. Not the same can be said when it comes to much else, unless it includes having someone's back. Jane's really loyal, protective _and_ sensitive of backs, especially trim ones in expensive designer blouses.

"No, no bodies. Just a lot of cuffs. But it won't be fast."

"Don't worry about it Frankie. We'll reschedule. Go. Be safe. Keep me updated."

Jane throws her phone back onto the sheets and burrows back into their safety. She thinks about how she needs to reset her alarm for later but her limbs are so sleepy and heavy that reaching for the device seems impossible.

Of course that's when her mother calls.

"Ma?"

"Good morning Jane!"

"Ma, it's three-thirty." Jane whines because she _is_ a girl and because well, it's three-thirty.

"I just heard from your brother."

"Yeah me too. He'll be fine. It's a routine run."

"Jane, a mother never stops worrying about her children. When you become a mother then we ca-"

"I got it Ma!. Going back to sleep now."

"You weren't called in too?"

Jane freezes, not that she was involved in any motion before that moment, but her eyes do stop blinking for a pause. It's the tone her mother uses, the tone that means she's about to suggest something Jane doesn't want her to. And unlike her brother Jane _is_ a detective, so she notices.

"Ah- no." She proceeds with caution. "It's a drug bust Ma. I'm homicide. So until someone kills someone else and then Maura determines it's suspicious, well until then she and I are just gonna keep braiding each other's hair."

"Oh you're already with Maura?"

Jane stares at her dark bedroom for a moment. Sometimes she wonders if Maura and her mother aren't related since literal is so damn literal to them. "Ma, I'm in bed!"

"Oh, I see-"

Now Jane may be confused about her own thoughts about pretty Maura Isles but Angela Rizzoli most certainty is not and Jane has already had this conversation so she keeps talking before her mother can mistakenly elaborate on the good doctor supposedly being in her daughter's bed.

"Alone! Geesh. Frankie and I'll reschedule for next week. Why are you calling again?"

Angela swallows a retort about how if Maura were to be in Jane's bed it most certainly wouldn't be the first and how if she made a more active habit of it happening, it most certainly would improve her daughter's mood.

"Well I was hoping you'd go without Frankie. I really need it to get done. Maybe I could go with you. I could help. Or you could invite someone else, maybe Maura?"

Angela doesn't want to go. The cabin she needs Jane to do some work at is the place where she fell in love with Jane's father. She's already resigned herself to the fact that she doesn't want to see it again. She knows that Jane knows this.

"Maura? You want me to ask Maura? She doesn't have the day off."

"I'm sure she'd rearrange her schedule for you."

Jane gives up on getting to snuggle back into her blankets. She positions a pillow behind her back and blinks a few more times to wake more fully.

"You want me to ask Maura if she'll take the day off to drive to the cabin, three hours away, with me?"

"Maura is a very agreeable person Jane unlike some other people I know."

Jane ignores that, _that_ she has plenty of practice with. "You want me to ask Maura to work all day on that hill? With the dirt and the rocks and the sweat. Maura?"

Jane can hear her mother's sigh from 2.8 miles away. "You're always saying that you working women are strong and independent."

Well, she is right about that.

However, not the point.

"Ma, have you seen Maura's shoe collection? You of all people have a much more personal relationship with her shoe boxes. See any working boots in there?"

Beat. Pause.

"Ma?"

"Jane, she said she'd be delighted to help the Rizzoli family and that she does in fact have working boots."

"You asked her!"

Jane still feels awkward about the fact that her mother lives in Maura's guest house. She doesn't admit to herself that she's also jealous that her mother gets more of a shot at seeing Maura's sleepy morning face than she does. Jane doesn't even know she craves sleepy Maura face.

"Maura is an early riser Jane."

Sure, Maura _is_ an early riser. Jane knows _that_ but three-thirty isn't natural. Three-thirty could only be Angela Rizzoli induced. Jane growls, her habitual low voice making an obvious appearance.

"Put her on the phone Ma."

The hand off is way too quick for her mother to be lying.

"Good morning Jane."

"Maura, I am so sorry. Go back to bed. I'll figure something else out. The first being different housing for my mother."

"I heard that!"

Jane huffs at her mother's off phone outburst. Maura only smiles since she finds it delightful how similar the other two women are, even more delightful that Jane has no clue. Plus, Maura wants brownie points, both with the detective and her mother. Maura didn't read all those books about getting on the potential mother-in-law's good side for nothin.

"Angela, I'm happy to have you stay with me as long as you want." Maura's voice is sweet, honestly sweet.

Jane wants to punch a lot of things right now. Her mother for being an _awesome_ house guest. Her friend for being way too nice.

"Hey! I'm the one on the phone here." Jane hates being ignored, shushed or otherwise. Jane knows Maura knows this.

"Of course you are Jane. So what time will you be picking me up? If it's not for another hour I'll have time to make us some scones."

"Don't you have work?"

"Took care of it."

"How did you reach anyone this early?" Jane isn't sure why she's asking.

"There was nobody to reach Jane. I am the Chief Medical Examiner. If a case comes in while we're gone, we'll either come back or I'll call in one of my assistants."

Jane's not sure why Maura using her full title makes her shiver. It's not the first time it's happened. Jane chalks it up to wishing she were her own boss too.

"Did my mother even tell you what we're doing?"

"She told me about the property the family is selling and how the grounds need some landscaping expertise. Although I did take several courses in botany, I would not consider myself an expert in topography. You know the arrangement of natural and artificial physical features such as vegetation is more complex than one might expect."

Either Jane's mother made it sound way more appealing than it is or Maura confused her with talk of landscaping. Regardless, the intention of the trip was not made.

"Maura, it's an old cabin that sits on a giant dirt mountain. The cabin is going to be demolished so that we can sell the land. The land however is infested with gophers. We're gassing the gophers out so that the surrounding trees don't continue to die and devalue the sale of the property. It's a murder mission. Still interested?"

Beat. Pause.

"Oh."

Jane loves stunning Maura although she's quite certain this particular job would stun just about anyone. Jane continues.

"So see you in an hour?" Jane also enjoys teasing Maura. She's about to let her permanently off the hook; she's about to figure out a new plan of attack.

But Maura is a fucking champion of a friend.

"I'll have the scones packed and ready."

And because Jane _does_ love a warm baked good, she agrees.

XXXX

"Jane?"

The detective watches the other woman as she crosses the gas station parking lot.

"You know I can't imagine it being good for the truck, you sitting on the edge like that."

Jane swings her legs so that the back of her boots hit the side of the truck bed, smiling as Maura scowls.

"Where's the coffee?" Jane eyes the doctor's empty hands, smirking at the juxtapose she makes. Maura is clad in one of Jane's Boston PD t-shirts, an old pair of what probably use to be fancy jeans but now have a ripped knee, and brown lace-up work boots that swallow her ankles. She wonders for a brief moment about the ripped knee, trying her hardest to imagine Maura involved in an activity that would cause it, she comes up empty. Jane's visual inventory is complete when her eyes land on the designer purse over Maura's shoulder.

"They only take cash."

Maura pouts as Jane raises an eyebrow.

"Does the good doctor need some money?"

Maura continues to huff and Jane watches her hoping foot stomping comes next.

"It's ridiculous that they won't accept a card. I don't understand how an establishment can thrive without giving their customers options."

"It's a gas station Maur."

"It _isn't_ practical."

Jane hops down from her perch and pulls a small woven change pouch from her back pocket. Maura rolls her eyes and refrains from telling her friend she might as well carry a wallet like a man if she wants to.

Jane pulls out a few crumpled bills but gets distracted by Maura's face.

"What?"

"You know I don't believe I've ever seen you carry a purse outside of a formal occasion. In fact it makes sense now why you seem to always be asking for tylenol or chapstick or tampons."

Jane narrows her eyes at that but Maura seems oblivious. Jane grumbles to herself about how she should carry her own god damn Carmex since Maura only carries sparkly lip products.

Maura only continues. "I can remember when I first started carrying a purse on a daily basis. I believe I was ten and while that may be younger than most females in western society or even in European-"

"Yet _you're_ the one without the cash."

Like always Jane skips the bullshit. She holds the bills out between her fingers.

"Yes. That is unfortunate." Maura grabs the money, laughing at Jane's smirking face. "Two coffees coming out."

"Up." Jane takes in Maura's blank face. "Two coffees coming _up_. Not out. This isn't a gay parade."

Maura only tilts her head, lips pursed, eyes slightly wider than normal. She does it because she likes to see Jane squirm and while she isn't going to paint Jane's personal rainbow out for her, she also isn't going to placate her with a retort that drops any hopes of Jane noticing just how very gay she in fact is.

So instead Maura turns and starts to head back to the station's food mart. She can hear Jane thinking at her from across the lot but then the sound of the gas pump hits calling Jane away from her impending epiphany. Maura is almost out of ear shot when Jane's voice shouts out, colliding with Maura's parting back.

"Don't spend it all on candy."

And Maura knows Jane is rubbing off on her when her mind effortlessly makes the connection that now would be the most opportune time to, as they say, flip Jane the bird. Instead she laughs, shakes her head, and marches on.

XXXX

Two hours down. One to go.

Jane picks up her speed a little more as Massachusetts melts into New Hampshire. She runs her fingers along the bottom of the plastic Tupperware and comes up with only scone crumbs. She licks them anyways.

"Jane, must we really listen to this?"

"Yes."

Jane rolls her window down a bit more for good measure.

The wind streaks in, tossing her wild locks back and grabbing at Maura's as well on its way out. Jane smirks as the doctor tries to gather her appearance, fisting her strands into a ponytail before looking over at Jane's amused look.

But Maura makes a habit of giving as good as she gets. So with that she throws her hands up, sets her hair free, and punches the button on her own window to stir it up even more.

And if Maura was just pretending to not give a damn it hardly matters because the sound of Jane's laugh as it rips out of her throat makes even tangled hair worth it.

So with that Jane cranks up the _AC/DC_ a little louder, slaps her aviators down onto her face as the beat of the song forces the car to pulse with it. She laughs a little more when Maura actually starts to nod her head to the song, prompting the blonde's own laughter to coat the inside of the truck. And it's just two girls in work boots, scone crumbs clinging to faded jeans. It's Maura's shoulders as they tap out the beat, Jane's palm as it slaps against her own thigh, two voices singing as they speed along their own highway to hell.

XXXX

"Walk me through it once more." Maura stands on the ground, arms folded over her chest, staring at the free motor in the back of the truck.

"It isn't an exact science Maura."

Maura only looks over at her tall _tall_ friend, height made more drastic by the fact that Jane is standing in the truck bed looming above the shorter woman. And since Jane has now been Maura's friend for longer than Maura ever expected, she reads her look.

Jane throws her hands up. "Okay fine. If it had to be something it would be a science."

Maura smiles in approval. Jane continues.

"We're gonna heave it out of the truck then down the mountain." The detective points at the rough terrain that makes up said mountain. It's more a rugged slope that leads from the edge of the cabin down into the portion of the canyon that the Rizzoli family owns but mountain sounds much more badass.

"Then we'll kickstart the motor, attach this-" She holds up the long flexible tube in her left hand. "-And then find the holes, stuff and gas."

Jane demonstrates with her tube the stuffing of one end into an imaginary gopher hole, her free hand billowing around to create a visual for the gassing.

"I would imagine death by motor vehicle exhaust which includes nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water, smaller amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and aldehydes would not be pleasant."

"Probably not." Jane holds a mini moment of silence for the soon to be dead gophers. "So ready?"

"This entire process severely conflicts with my personal ethical code of do no harm."

"Mau-ra." Jane growls it out, puts her hands on her knees and squats down from her position so she is closer to eye level with the doctor. "You agreed to come."

"That hardly matters Jane. Would you encourage a criminal to continue in a plan to take someone's life simply because they agreed at one point in time?"

"You're not a criminal Maura! And they're gophers!"

Maura shifts herself so she can see around Jane, her eyes falling once more on the motor. She scrunches her face, thinking hard.

"I see your point Jane even if that wasn't my original thought. And I believe when I examine the Hippocratic Oath that my interpretation of it does not exceed past human life." She smiles up triumphantly at her friend, glad to have come to a conclusion.

"So, you're on board?" Jane waits, hoping she understood even if she was distracted with the medical examiner whipping out an oath Jane is pretty sure applies to _living_ human beings.

"Yes. I am on board." Maura extends her hand to Jane who grabs it and hauls her friend up into the truck bed trying not to laugh at how Maura always tends to repeat Jane's slang-like statements with her cute, calculated tone.

XXXX

"You wanna try?" Jane doesn't mean to yell but it seems as if the morning sun decided now would be an awesome time to make an appearance. She can feel the sweat on her face and throws her head back to stop it stinging her eyes.

"Okay." Like always Maura is either oblivious to Jane's frustrated tone or is kindly ignoring it.

Jane steps away from the free motor that she's been attempting to kickstart.

"Be my guest." She gives Maura a sweeping gesture as the smaller woman approaches.

"It was removed from a motorcycle I take it?" Maura sizes up the motor, eyeing the kickstart Jane has been practically standing on in attempts to jump it to life.

"Um hm." Jane grabs the water bottle from Maura's hand and takes a swig as her friend pulls her hair back with an elastic band.

"Okay then." Maura has been watching Jane for the past twenty minutes get more and more frustrated. In the beginning she had volunteered some information about flooding the motor with gas by opening the carburetor throttle, knowing the combination might make it easier to start. She leans over, finds the lever that controls the choke, opens the throttle a bit, and then takes her position.

"Stand here." Maura points to her other side which Jane reluctantly moves to before the smaller woman places her hand on the detective's shoulder for balance. It was another suggestion she made earlier that was also ignored. And with the combination of the choke placement, an open throttle, a strong shoulder, and Maura's complete focus, she jumps on the kickstart with her full weight.

The engine comes to immediate life.

Maura lets go of Jane and then leans over carefully to allow a little more gas to flood so the motor can continue to run. She then steps away and looks over her shoulder at the surprised woman next to her.

And Maura can't help it. "You're right it is not an exact science."

Jane can't help it either. She laughs, loudly.

The sound is thrilling.

"That was impressive." Jane shakes her head, claps her hands once before reaching for the attachment that is needed for the gopher part. She hands it to the doctor, slaps her ass and tells her to get to it.

Maura tries not to orgasm.

XXXX

"Found one!"

"Me too!"

"Found a ton actually." Jane squats down to brush some loose dirt from what has to be a gopher home. She spins lightly on her heels to survey the surrounding area, her eyes picking out several more tunnel entrances.

"I'm grateful we are dealing strictly with pocket gophers. Although similar creatures, gassing the homes of a mole family seems more barbaric." Maura locates another entrance a few yards from where Jane is squatting. "Throw me another stake."

Jane tosses the wooden stake in Maura's direction. She catches it easily in her gloved hand. Like always Jane is impressed with the surprising skills her friend whips out from time to time.

Maura places the stake near the hole to mark the spot.

"So why are gophers easier to kill than moles?" Jane spears her nearby dirt with her own stake.

"As a child I once read a story in which the main character was a mole. Since then I've had a special affinity for the creatures."

Jane shakes her head at the reasoning.

"The mounds that gophers create are usually fan shaped and clustered in an area which is characteristic evidence of their presence, as we can see." Maura stands and stretches her back as her eyes roam for more holes. "Mole mounds, however, appear circular and have a plug in the middle that may or may not be easily seen. Mole mounds are volcano-shaped and unlike gophers, moles commonly burrow just beneath the surface, creating a raised ridge along their path. My printer wasn't cooperating this morning otherwise I'd have printed diagrams."

Jane flips from her knees to her ass, sitting in the dirt for a moment as she takes another gulp of her water.

"That's fascinating."

Jane holds her water up in offering. Maura fixes her with a stare before nodding. Jane waves at her to scoot back, intending to throw the thing like a football. Part of her is half certain Maura will start running only to catch the bottle with complete ease and comfort just to shock her. When Maura only returns the look with confusion, Jane shrugs and underhands it the few feet.

"So are we ready to start?" Maura takes a breath to ask her question before finishing the bottled water.

Jane shields her face to scan the area. "We identified over forty areas so it's a good start, I guess." The mountain is littered with wooden stakes.

"Well then let's start." Maura dusts off her gloved hands, losing one in the process. She sighs and bends over to pick it up, holding back from commenting once again on how if she'd known work gloves were needed she would have brought some that was more conducive to small hands.

Jane comes up behind her. She leads the way as the two hike back up to where the motor is still running, the risk of shutting it off and hoping it restarts, too great. Jane only missteps twice in which Maura successfully braces her the once, and obviously steps aside on the second.

"Ow!" Jane squeezes her face together for a small moment before looking up to find Maura rushing towards her.

"Jane, are you alright?"

Jane is on her ass, her aviators half-way off her face. The trip was sudden but small.

"Maura!"

"What, what? Where does it hurt." Maura immediately bends over her and starts pressing her hands on various body parts. Jane slaps her hands away.

"I'm fine. You-" She points an accusing finger at the doctor. "You ducked."

Maura pulls back. "I what?"

"You stepped aside!"

"Just now, yes! I came back to see if you were okay." Maura is clearly confused.

"No, not _just_ now." Jane gestures at the ground she just bitch-slapped to clarify. "Back there!" She points at where she lost her footing a few feet up. "You saw me slipping and you stepped to the side."

Maura looks over her shoulder at the spot Jane is referring to then jerks her head back at Jane.

"I did not!"

Jane watches the other woman's face, innocently unaware. And then for the third time in as many hours she throws her head back and laughs. In-between laughter she attempts to explain.

"You did. You so did. The first time you put your hands out to steady me but that time, you bailed."

Maura isn't sure what to do or what to say. Jane looks amused yet Maura knows from experience that having the other's back is high up on the friendship priority list. Luckily she doesn't have to say anything.

"It's a good thing Maur. It's why you're a much better human than I am but at the same time why you'd never be a cop."

"Jane I'm not sure I understand your reasoning."

Jane gets her laughing under enough control to try and explain. She pushes some loose hairs off her forehead.

"You thought of yourself first. Your safety first. It's good, it means I don't have to worry as much. But as a cop it's a quality we aren't encouraged to have."

Maura nods slowly. "I see. So you're not mad because I honestly don't remember making the decision to let you fall."

"No. I'm not mad."

Maura smiles back before smirking a little bit. "You worry about my safety?"

Jane smiles up at her friend and throws her hand out to indicate Maura should help her up. When Maura does Jane takes it but instead of helping herself up, she pulls Maura down to her.

"Jane!"

Jane laughs a little as the doctor practically lands in her lap, dirt spraying in several directions.

"Okay, now. _Now_ I'm not mad." Jane ignores Maura's question about safety and flops her upper body down so she is sprawled in the dirt, placing one hand under her head.

Maura giggles next to her before giving up on the clean award and positions herself alongside Jane, her upper body resting on Jane's torso. Her chin finds her own crossed hands which are perched on the detective's chest. Maura doesn't give a second thought to the intimacy of such a position but only smiles down at Jane's face.

"Dirt becomes you." Jane smiles as she says it.

Maura stops herself from her natural reaction to deflect from the compliment or explain how dirt can't really become a person. Instead she chooses to say nothing.

And it isn't the first time Jane has kissed her. It isn't even the second. But it is the first time where both of them are completely sober.

Maura scoots up on Jane's chest so it's less effort for both of them. The kiss is slow and languid. Jane is the first to decide she wants to taste the other woman's tongue and when she pulls at Maura's bottom lip with her own mouth, the request is granted.

And Maura Isles tastes really good. Jane decides to tell her as much.

She pulls back a little bit to get out the words before Maura's mouth is back on her. The moan Maura lets out confirms that the compliment was perfectly executed.

Finally Maura goes back to noticing that a dirt mountain isn't really where she'd prefer to get Jane naked and with Jane gripping her hips like she is, Maura makes an educated guess that nakedness isn't too much of a hopeful stretch.

"Do we have keys?" The blonde gasps it out, wanting to figure out the details but not wanting to stop tasting Jane's skin. She asks her question in-between open-mouthed kisses along Jane's sweaty neck.

"Yes." Jane grunts out her answer as Maura licks at her pulse.

"Good." Maura starts to move off of the other woman but Jane's gloved hands continue to grip her, holding her down.

"We've never, you know- well, done anything more, than ah- this." Jane's stumbling all over her sentence. She hopes her nerves are coming from the intensity of Maura's presence on-top of her and not from the fact that she's scared she'll-

Well, scared she'll get down _there_ and well, freak the fuck out.

"No. No we haven't." Maura only smiles lazily down at Jane, hoping her own calmness will get soaked up by the nervous body she is currently laying on top of.

"And we're not drunk."

Maura nods her head at Jane's thinking.

"No, no we are not."

Jane continues. "And before, before we were."

Maura pauses for a moment before clarifying. "Actually neither time was I all that intoxicated."

It takes a minute of waiting before Maura watches Jane's face split into a grin. "Me either."

And finally Jane releases Maura's hips and the smaller woman hops up before dragging Jane with her. They run up the hill faster then is safe. Jane only pauses briefly to kill the motor, screwy start-ups be damned.

Besides, locating and gassing gopher homes is ridiculous.

The woman who keeps looking over her shoulder to make sure Jane is following-

The woman who is only an arm's length ahead of her and gripping her hand like a force-

Well, she isn't ridiculous at all.

XXXX

"Maura, wait." Jane applies a small amount of force through her palms against Maura's clothed chest.

Maura immediately untangles her hands from where they were wrapped around the back of the chair she'd pushed Jane into when they got inside the cabin. She removes her hovering mouth and steps away from the space created by Jane's parted legs.

"No, I didn't mean-" Jane grabs at Maura's hand, yanking her back towards her. "I just need to- can we just talk for a second?" Jane runs her free hand through her own hair. One look at Maura's face tells her she's already screwing this all up.

"Jane you don't have to explain. I got over eager. I apologize." Maura is standing like a statue, pressing her thighs together so she doesn't accidentally touch one of Jane's surrounding legs. Her hand is limp inside of Jane's.

"No, no. Stop talking." Jane pleads for Maura to shut up, stop making assumptions and give her a moment to sort herself out.

"I thought you wanted to talk." Maura's voice has that bitter edge, the one she gets only when she's embarrassed. Jane mentally kicks herself again for making her feel that way.

"Just." Jane grits her teeth when Maura's gaze gets fixed on the space behind Jane's shoulder. "Sit, _please_." Jane tugs on the doctor's hand until she finally looks down at her. Jane moves her and then forces her to slide onto her own offered lap.

Maura is sitting with the straightest back Jane has ever come in contact with. Her pelvis is practically smashed against Jane's what with the detective's hands gripping the doctor's sides to keep her from bolting. But the rest of the blonde is as straight and removed from Jane as she can get in the compromising position.

"Maura look at me." Jane is begging. If she were to ever admit to having fantasized about Maura and her naked body, begging definitely never went down like this.

Maura drops her gaze so she's looking at Jane. Her eyes are masked with fierceness but Jane can see the edges of vulnerability peeking through.

"Can we just talk about this. I'm nervous." Jane figures short, to the point sentences that are questions but don't sound like questions will sit best with the woman in her lap. She sees that it's working with the green eyes in front of her soften a bit. Jane continues.

"I can be competitive." Jane gets a little hope when she sees Maura arch an eyebrow.

"Okay, really competitive. I don't do anything I know I won't be really good at and I've never done this before and I'm scared I'll be awful and you'll be amazing and you'll get bored or annoyed or even worse you'll just tell me how not good it was since you can't lie and then I'll get even more nervous and three dates down the line you'll be done with all this."

Jane stops. Jane stops because Jane is saying a god-awful lot of stuff that probably is only making her more vulnerable and she's not even sure what Maura thinks this is.

Maybe this is just about sweaty bodies and heat.

"You're nervous." Maura breaks the silence, clarifying because she's stunned. She never really thought of Jane as a person who got nervous.

"Yeah."

"Okay. But you want this?"

Jane's natural instincts tell her to deny it. Deny it so she saves face when Maura lets her down and says this is only about getting off and gaining all the physical benefits of a well executed orgasm.

Jane forces herself to swallow her insecurities.

So she nods and then confirms. "Yes." And Jane's surprised that the answer is, bottom of her soul, the fucking truth. She never thought she was thinking of things like holding Maura's hand, taking her out on dates, sharing her bed for- well for the rest of her bed-sharing days.

But obviously Jane Rizzoli has been thinking, thinking without thinking about thinking.

"I could talk you through it." Maura returns to her normal self, shrugging her shoulders at the suggestion.

Jane breathes a little easier when Maura looks at her like she always looks at her. She considers Maura's plan and only comes up with one concern. "But not all clinically cyborg-y cause that might not really help with the whole situa-"

"I can do not clinical." Maura interrupts her, shooting a smirk at the face attached to the lap she's starting to become more aware of.

"Um hm." Jane does not believe her.

So Maura leans back into Jane, slowly so the detective is completely aware of what is going to happen before it happens. She stills her movements when her chest finally pushes up against Jane's, mouth hovering at Jane's ear. "I can do just about anything you want Jane."

Jane groans.

"Oh, and what you said before? Well I never let myself even hope for one date. So, three? Three sounds really nice." Maura laughs softly against the other woman's skin, hoping to calm Jane's nerves.

"Yeah?"

Maura pulls back to look at brown eyes. "Yeah." She leans down to tug at Jane's lip before pulling back yet again.

"Besides, I might be awful too."

Jane laughs at that, a low raw sound. "I doubt it."

Now Maura's the one who's shocked. "For all you know I could be brand new at this too."

Jane only tilts her jaw, inquiring with her gaze. "Well are you?"

Maura holds her look for a moment, blank face intact, eyes daring Jane to think otherwise. And then she cracks, laughter billowing out of that creamy throat. The sound and heat that comes from her mouth falls all over Jane's face, filling her heart up with happy. Maura faces the facts. "No, actually I'm not."

Jane's hands get tired of touching the rough fabric of Maura's jeans. She slides them under the back of Maura's too big for her shirt. She runs her fingers along the soft skin there, feeling around and getting lost in the dip Maura's lower back makes.

"But Jane?"

"Hm." Jane is having a hard time concentrating on anything other than the visual of her hands under the corners of the other woman's shirt.

"I can't teach you how to want me." Jane only half hears the words above her because right now everything, everything is about how Maura's skin feels against her palms.

About how she can feel skin that she can't see. How she is allowed and wants to feel skin that she can't see.

She does however pick her head up and meet Maura's eyes when she feels the movement of the other woman shifting in her lap.

Maura reaches for the edges of that t-shirt and pulls it up and off her body, her hair getting caught up for only a moment before the shirt is tossed to the ground and her blonde strands settle back down over her bare shoulders. She sighs as Jane's eyes roam over all that newly exposed skin, her fingers tightening along the curves of Maura's ribs. And then Maura finishes.

"So do you? Do you want me?"

If it were any other woman Jane would roll her eyes at the teasing seduction.

Sure, maybe Maura started this part as a tease, but right now the doctor is being completely serious. Jane can hear the sincerity of it dripping onto the floor.

Because Maura is Maura, so she asks. She makes sure.

And because Jane is Jane, she answers how she knows how. And maybe, _fuck yes_, isn't all that poetic, but it's so Jane and it makes Maura smile.

XXXX

Jane's eyes get caught up on the slope of Maura's shoulder. She can see the defined muscle right underneath the skin. The stretch of Maura's arms only makes the definition more obvious. She traces that shoulder, eyes following the line that turns into Maura's arm, that turns into a small hand that is tucked underneath her face.

Maura is curled up on her side, her back pressing into Jane, sleep calming her features.

Jane's eyes are addicted to that shoulder. The strength of those arms, the definition of that collarbone, the solid thighs and calves that contrast perfectly with the rest of her that is full of rounded curves, heavy breasts, soft stomach- well the combination is blowing Jane Rizzoli's mind.

Jane has always seen her own body as being pretty straight forward. She's never had a lover who was surprised to discover the well-defined abs, the hard and lean muscle that she is made up of. Her own cheekbones tend to ruin any surprises.

Not that Jane had been oblivious to Maura and her body. She definitely noticed the softness and well frankly, womanliness that is Maura. The dresses that the doctor wears don't really hide the curved hips, the small waist or the perfect breasts.

But Jane hadn't really thought of Maura's body as being strong. It kind of took tracing the inside of Maura's thighs with her tongue, looking up to see the doctor watching her, nodding her head, telling her _yes, good, just like that_, for her to get it. It was the image of Maura Isles supporting her weight on her palms, arms stretched out behind and under her, chest pushed forward, abs contracting, legs parted and spread, hips softly rocking towards Jane's tongue for Jane to see just how, well, _durable_ the other woman was.

And if she had any doubts after that they were squelched when Maura begged, demanded, shouted, urged, and yes, cursed at Jane to- _just, just, god. Harder, deeper, better._

Jane laughs to herself, shaking her head at the idea that she for one moment doubted Maura's abilities to be an excellent teach.

The woman verbalized, moaned, grunted, panted, and came with a volume that left little doubt in Jane's head that she was going to be a bad gay lay.

And when it was Jane's turn she was surprised that she didn't even get to the point of wondering if she should appear done yet when she found herself tightening around Maura's fingers and then begging the woman to finish her with her tongue.

And so maybe Jane's two orgasms when compared to Maura's very healthy five left her feeling a little bit like second place. But Jane can't remember the last time she legitimately came, let alone twice and _so damn_ hard, without her own fingers.

It would have been odd or embarrassing with anyone else but when Maura crawled up her body and splayed herself fully over Jane, careful to avoid harsh contact with either of their sensitive clits, she had filled Jane in.

And Maura telling her how she couldn't wait to help Jane practice getting off over and over again, well that was just a bonus.

At first there had been a few bumping of noses, giggling over awkward clothing removal and a pause when Jane had found herself on the floor after attempting to tug an unlaced boot off. Jane hadn't been sure just how much she could be herself but the woman underneath her stilled her fears when she had gripped her face, tugging against her cheeks to make her listen. _Do what you want to do with me Jane. I'll tell you if I don't like it but please, god, don't hold back._

It wasn't until they were half an hour in that Jane had sat back on her heels, body tight with desire, hands splayed on Maura's thighs.

_Oh, I get it._ Jane wasn't sure who she had been talking to but the ceiling had seemed like a good start.

Maura had propped her body up on her elbows so she could see Jane better. Jane who was stopping what she had previously been doing. She had wanted to growl, demand the detective get back to being between her thighs, but the look of enlightenment on Jane's face gave pause.

That's when Jane had laughed. The sound was low but carefree, the noise causing Maura to ignore her annoyed clit and sit up more.

_Ah, you okay over there?_

_You know I never understood when people talked about being turned on by getting their partner off._ Jane had gestured at Maura's thighs before her hands had landed on her own torso. Maura had to force herself to look away from where those long fingers were wrapped around the detective's ribs.

Maura had raised an eyebrow at Jane's speech, not sure if she should comment about the topic, but pretty sure she shouldn't comment on who the hell Jane was socializing with to have such interesting dinner talk.

Jane had misread the look on the other woman's face and had clarified. _I'm getting wet eating you out Maura._

Maura had only smirked back telling the detective that yes, yes that part she got.

Jane had laughed some more, her fingers tightening against her skin. She must have gotten lost for a second in trying to figure out what else she had entirely missed out on. Her focus had flooded back when she heard Maura clearing her throat causing Jane to glance down at the splayed woman in front of her.

_Oh, sorry._ Jane had shaken her head, those long black locks bouncing on her shoulders, apologizing for having a moment.

But Maura just tilted her own head, smiling sweetly at the woman across from her.

_No, not at all. I'm glad you are clearing things up in your head. Just, if the epiphany is over well, could you get back to it?_

And Jane had laughed yet again and then hopped to.

XXXX

"How did it go Jane? Was it too much work?" Angela's voice is coming through Jane's speakerphone as the two women drive back towards Boston.

"No Ma, it wasn't too bad. But you know the gopher problem is too big to solve in one day."

Maura and Jane can hear Angela's sigh even through the bad reception.

"I was afraid that might be the case. Oh well, you did the best you could. Was Maura helpful?"

Jane looks over at the woman who is holding the open phone up for her. She can't help but wink. "She got really into it Ma. Great suggestion!"

Maura slaps Jane's thigh with her free hand, her eyes dancing at the banter.

"I knew she would be. Maura is such a lovely girl."

Jane rolls her eyes at her mother's obvious misunderstanding of the meaning, we're on speakerphone. But then again, when has anyone's presence really stopped Angela Rizzoli from talking.

"You're right. Maura _is_ a lovely girl." Now it's Maura's turn to roll her eyes at Jane's tone, she rests her chin on her hand, elbow propped up against the passenger window.

"So anyways, I'll see you tomorrow." Jane starts to end the conversation, her hand aching to hold Maura's again.

"Come see me at the cafe in the morning. I want to give you and Maura a little something for all your hard work." Jane shoots Maura a look who's eyes have gone wide.

"Ah, no Ma. You don't owe us anything. It wasn't a big deal."

"Now come on Jane. It was a big job and a mother should be able to pay her daughter for helping out. You and Maura could maybe treat yourselves to a nice dinner." Jane can hear her mother beaming from across the airwaves.

"Ma, you are not paying us." Jane ignores Maura's face knowing the woman's mortified look will send her into a laughing fit.

"Well I insist. See you tomorrow." And with that Jane and Maura are left with just the dial tone of Angela's phone. Maura slowly shuts Jane's own cellphone, killing the sound.

"Did your mother just offer to buy us dinner?"

Jane allows herself to glance over at Maura whose eyes are still huge.

"Ah I think so. Wow, my mother has never paid me for doing anything. She must really like you."

"Jane! We didn't do anything. We heaved a motor down a mountain and then a few hours later we heaved it back!"

"Hey there's that new Italian place that opened just down the street from your place, we should check it out."

"Jane! I'm not taking money from your mother for, well for seducing her daughter. It's unethical!"

And Jane finally finds Maura's hand and slips her fingers in-between the doc's. She smiles as Maura continues to rant and worry. She smiles when Maura runs out of words and collapses back into her seat to think. She smiles when Maura finds some more words and continues. She smiles even more when Maura gives up trying to find a way out of the situation and settles for slapping the stereo on and cueing up her new favorite song.

XXXX


End file.
